The Virtues of Captain America : Modern-Day Lessons on Character From a World War II Superhero

Learn how Captain America's timeless ethical code is just as relevant in the twenty-first century as it was during the 1940s Captain America, or simply “Cap,” provides an example of the virtues that define personal excellence, as well as the ideals and principles upon which the United States of America was founded. In The Virtues of Captain America, philosopher and long-time comics fan Mark D. White shows us that this fictional superhero's “old-fashioned” moral code is exactly what we need today to restore kindness and respect in our personal and civic lives. Presenting Captain America's personal morality within a virtue ethics framework, the book opens with an introduction to basic concepts in moral and political philosophy and addresses issues surrounding the use of fictional characters as role models. The following chapters examine Captain America in detail, exploring the individual virtues that Cap exemplifies, the qualities that describe his moral character, his particular brand of patriotism, his ongoing battle with fascism, his personal vision of the “American Dream,” his moral integrity and sense of honor, and much more. Now in its second edition, The Virtues of Captain America is updated to include all the new developments in Captain America's saga, including new examples from the last ten years of Captain America's appearances in Marvel Comics. New coverage of the recent “Secret Empire” storyline, in which Captain America was brainwashed by the fascist organization Hydra, features new sections examining the nature of fascism and how Captain America's character and virtues were affected by the change. This edition also offers new material on Sam Wilson―formerly Captain America's partner the Falcon who recently became Captain America himself―and how his interpretation of the role compares to Steve Rogers'. Showing how we can be better people if we pay attention to the choices made by the Sentinel of Liberty, The Virtues of Captain America: Examines the moral and political philosophy behind 80 years of Captain America comics and movies in a light-hearted, often humorous tone Demonstrates that the core principles and judgment exhibited by Captain America in the 1940s remain relevant in the twenty-first century Describes the basic themes of Captain America's ethics, such as courage, humility, perseverance, honesty, and loyalty Illustrates how Captain America stands for the basic ideals of America, not its politics or government Requiring no background in philosophy or familiarity with the source material, the second edition of The Virtues of Captain America: Modern-Day Lessons on Character from a World War II Superhero remains a must-read for everyone wanting to make ethical decisions in complex real-world situations and tackle the personal and political issues of today with integrity and respect. Cover Dedication Page Title Page Copyright Page Contents Introduction Notes Acknowledgments Notes on Source Material About the Author Chapter 1 Superhuman Ethics Class Utilitarianism Deontology A Civil War ... of Ethics! Virtue Ethics Virtuous Deontology ... No, Deontological Virtue ... Maybe “Deontovirtue”? Notes Chapter 2 Captain America as a Moral Exemplar Can a Fictional Character Be a Moral Exemplar? Aren’t Fictional Characters Liable to Be Perfect? Sixty Years, Dozens of Writers ... One Captain America? Notes Chapter 3 Five Basic Virtues Courage Humility Righteous Indignation Sacrifice (and Responsibility) Perseverance Notes Chapter 4 Honor and Integrity The Honor of Captain America External Honor as Respect Internal Honor as Integrity How Deep Does Integrity Go? Principle and Compromise Duty and Sacrifice (Again) Notes Chapter 5 Judgment Making the Hard Decisions Whose Right Answer? Tragic Dilemmas and How to Avoid Them When Judgment Evolves Has the World Changed ... or Has Captain America? Notes Chapter 6 Patriotism, Fascism, and the Dream Patriotism: The Captain and America The Three Core American Ideals Justice Equality Liberty Cosmopolitanism Fascism and the “Secret Empire” The American Dream versus the American Reality Notes Chapter 7 Principle, Politics, and the Captains America “I’m a Hero, Not a Politician!” Principles above Politics Captain America in (Principled) Action Secret Empire/Nomad The Captain Civil War A New Captain America Proactivity, Conflict, and Compromise Notes Conclusion Notes Appendix: Why Are There Ten Volumes of Captain America and Nine Volumes of Avengers? Note References Notes Index EULA